Trainer Manvendra Singh's filly, Artesia, scored with a stamp of authority, on Saturday, fully justifying her 8-10 odds on her way to claiming the 1,600m Manohar Lal Memorial Cup, the feature event. Artesia, is the winner of the Calcutta Oaks, in a close finish, involving the South India challenger, Striking. She also went on to drub the Leger opposition, her last engagement in the big season. Punters had a mixed afternoon in the six-event card but no one complained as most of winners found much support in the betting ring.

Jockey Christopher Alford, who partnered Artesia, kept the Multidimensional-Trois Etoiles daughter in the mid-division in the early half of the race. Changing gears on the favourite, Alford brought public-choice into the fray, bisecting the long time leader, Aerator, and the second favourite, Lantana Lady. Artesia was at the helm 300m from home and was gone in to a long lead, as she responded well when asked for an effort. In the same race, Ademaro cut a sorry figure, gracing at the wrong-end of the field, jockey Shailesh Shinde had a hard time keeping the colt up with the field.

Early in the afternoon, trainer Vijay Singh's equally fancied runner, Blue Lightning, also justified her odds in the 1,200m Fusebox Handicap. Shinde sent the China Visit daughter into a two-length lead soon after the start of the race and the favourite maintained it till the end. A late effort, by the visiting jockey Dashrath Singh, riding Fire Angel, to catch up with the winner, yielded no result, as the favourite hung on the lead established early in the race.

However, Dashrath’s waiting tactics paid off in the 1,200m Sunrise Plate, a baby race which was claimed by trainer Dipak Karki’s Daylite who was making his debut. Ridden well off the pace while less fancied runners like Law Supremo, Pinball Wizard, Aithops, Adanna and others were seen dominating the early half of the sprint, in came Daylite, a 2-a second chance, like a bolt from the blue, on the wide out, to leave the frontrunners standing. The top-weighted colt, Triumphus, who, went to the start as a 16-10 favourite, was also held back in sixth or seventh berth, but lacked the acceleration displayed by the winner. The horse ended up a poor fifth as Law Supremo hung out to the second slot edging out Xipen, another rank outsider. In the same race, trainer Errol Bhungard’s Marilyn was ridden very poorly by apprentice Azharuddin. The apprentice failed to take a clean start and also went all over the course before settling for the fourth berth, ahead of the favourite.

Speedy Hurricane Andrew, finally came good in the 1,100m Glotic Handicap. The 6-1 chance, ridden by Sameer Khan, barely led by a length from the start but went on last out, with Shinde finding the top-weighted Richest Treasure, 6-4 favourite, as a slow mover, in chase. The favourite was a handy third, just a length behind but only managed to overtake Snow Ball as Hurricane Andrew stayed ahead till the end.

The other favourites who cut a sorry figure in the card, were trainer Vijay Singh’s Abrienda (apprentice Munna Alam-up) and Arti Doctor’s Commelina (Alford) in their respective events – the 1,400m Prince Manoj Handicap and the 1,200m Predator Handicap.

Valerosa won, thanks to apprentice Alam, taking a tardy start, on Abrienda. Jockey S. John kept the Bharath Singh-trained winner, in the mid-bunch till top of the home turn and pounced on the tiring leaders Zegna and Winnertakesitall, inside the last furlong for a facile victory.

Commelina was, perhaps, out to prove that the suspension of Arti’s retained jockey, Arshad Alam, was hardly justified. The horse tried to win from the start but folded up 300m from Home. The race was an easy pick for a heavily wagered Fankaar, a 3-1 chance, who was right behind the leaders – Commelina and Sreeyantra; until 300m from home before taking off for victory over Eternal Instinct who was always thereabouts with the winner.